Following a recent statement by a freight forwarding group under the auspices of Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarding Association (CAFFA), wherein it was alleged that some Customs officers have stayed in one command for up to 10 years, and that such officers are corrupt, the Controller Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Charles Edike has warned all officers at the command to ensure strict compliance with the service’s extant laws and procedures.
Following a recent statement by a freight forwarding group under the auspices of Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarding Association (CAFFA), wherein it was alleged that some Customs officers have stayed in one command for up to 10 years, and that such officers are corrupt, the Controller Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Charles Edike has warned all officers at the command to ensure strict compliance with the service’s extant laws and procedures.
Comptroller Edike gave the warning in an internal memo which he sent to all unit and sectional heads dated September 25th 2015 and which was obtained exclusively by Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday.
In the memo, the Controller ordered his men to discharge their duties in a manner approved by the customs' board alone.
The document titled: "Issues of Complaints on Extortions and Delay in the Release of Cargoes at the Ports-warning to all officers" , further stated that officers should also ensure that all cases of trade in prohibited goods, concealment, false declaration and underpayment infractions must be properly documented and reported promptly and defaulters must be arrested for prosecution.
In an apparent reaction to media reports that the freight forwarders body generated, Edike said, "my attention has been drawn to an article written in a social media titled" Customs: You Are Too Slow, Freight Forwarder Tell Col. Ali on the 19\9\2015 in which the author remarked, "we are tired of giving bribe"
"And other complaints bothering on extortion, frivolous queries which can neither be substantiated nor supported by any known service policy and delay of release of cargoes at the ports"
"Given the above and in line with the Comptroller General of Customs policy thrust, you are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the service extant laws and procedures and desist from any action or inaction that would hinder collection of every kobo due for federal government of Nigeria and trade facilitation. "
But responding to the development, the National Coordinator of Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition; Sir. Patrick Osita Chukwu urged the customs to arrest all the leaders that made up CAFFA for them to mention officers who have actually collected bribes from freight agents.
Chukwu added that the customs should ensure that both the giver and receiver of bribe must be prosecuted.
"I believe by now all people involved should be arrested by customs or police because such statement is too strong for public consumption"
"All of them involved in the statement that they don't want to give bribe again need to be prosecuted", he added.
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